Display device



F b, 27, 1962 P. F. WENDELL 3,022,594

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Oct. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. PHILIP 1WENDELL ATTORNEY,

Feb. 27, 1962 P. F. WENDELL 5 25 DISPLAY DEVICE Filed 001;. 8, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Pl-UMP F. WENDELL 4 TT'O RN EY.

nited States atent 3,022,594 DISPLAY DEVICE Philip F. Wendell, AcornStudios, 251 N. Colon Road, Burr Oak, Mich. Filed Oct. 8, 1958, Ser. No.766,013 9 Claims. (Ci. 40-319) This invention relates to improvement indisplay devices. The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an animated display device adapted for coaction with acash register so that the opening of the cash drawer of the registercauses the display or advertisement to have moving parts placed inmotion to attract the attention of observers.

Second, to provide an animated display device which is inexpensive andwhich requires no power or drive means other than the movement of thecash drawer of the cash register with which it is associated.

Third, to provide an animated display device having a pendant weightconnected to actuate the moving animating part of the device forprolonged movement and having actuating mechanism connectable to thecash drawer of the cash register for initiating motion of the pendantweight.

Fourth, to provide an animated display device which includes a supportand a movable display element with a fixed display element relativelyconnected to the support so that various forms of fixed displays can beinterchanged on the support for varying the visual efiect or" thedisplay.

Fifth, to provide an animated display device for coaction with a cashregister which is inexpensive and foldable into a relatively thin fiatpackage for ease in shipment yet which is easily erected and connectedfor operation without special skill or tools.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and claims. The drawings, of which there are twosheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the display actuatingstructure and two variau'ons of the visible portion of the display.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cash regIster mounted on thesupporting and movable portions of the display device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the supporting and actuating element ofthe display device with parts broken away to illustrate details ofconstruction.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the base and actuating parts of thedisplay device with parts broken away to illustrate the interiorarrangement thereof.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the supporting uprightand visible portions of the display device.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the visible part of one formof the display device as viewed by the observer.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the visible part of amodified form of the display device as viewed by the observer.

The general structure and theory of operation of th display device isshown in FIG. 1 in which a cash register 1 is supported upon a base 2and in turn holds the base in position. An upright 3 secured to the backof the base projects upwardly along the rear side of the cash registerand swingably supports an animating lever or pendulum 4. The animatinglever 4 carries or is connected to a movable part and visible element ofthe display device such as the visible panel 5. The visible panel maytake various forms and include various visible elements such as thespots 6 which form the eyes of a fixed display as will be described. Thebase 2 carries and engages an actuating mechanism to be described sothat opening motion of the cash drawer 7 of the cash register actuatesthe animating lever 4.

As appears more clearly in FIG. 2 the base 2 consists of a flat panelwhich is conveniently made up of three layers or plys S, 9 and 10. Thetop ply 8 is broken away in the view to illustrate that the middle ply 9is cut away to form the recess 91 at the back of the base. Swingablymounted within the recess 91 is the angle shaped actuating or drivemember 11 pivotally mounted on a pin 12. The actuating member has adriving hammer end 13 and a driven trigger end 14. The hammer end 13 isswingable rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the base but is normallybiased forwardly into the recess 91 by a tension device such as thespring 15.

The upright 3 is also conveniently formed as a three ply panel having acenter ply 16 and outer plies 17. The center ply 16 is cut away withinthe upright to form a recess or chamber 171 within which the lower endof the animating lever 4 swings. A pendant weight 18 is secured to thelever 4 within the upright to sustain motion of the animating lever. Theupper edges of the outer plies 17 are notched as at 19 to form pivotbearings for the pivot pin 29 that swingably supports the animatinglever 4 on the upright. The lower end 21 of the animating ever projectsinto the path of movement of the hammer end 13 of the actuating lever.For ease in shipment and erection of the display device the upright 3 idesirably hingedly connected to the rear edge of the base 2 as by thehinges 22.

In order to actuate the actuating lever 11 the center ply 9 of the base2 is further cut away longitudinally to form the channel or opening 23extending from the recess 91 to the forward edge of the base. Thechannel houses a pull rod 24 that is longitudinally adjustably connectedat its rear end to the angle shaped actuating pawl or drive member 25positioned fiatwise in the reces 91. The actuating pawl 25 has a noseportion 26 that is engageable with the trigger end 14 of the actuatinglever. The left edge of the recess 91 is transversely cammed or curvedas at 27 to move the pawl 25 and its nose 26 laterally to behind thetrigger end 14 as the pawl is moved rearwardly by the pull rod 24. Theforward end of the pull rod 24 is turned upwardly and secured to aconnecting plate 28 which constitutes an attaching element adapted to beseoured to the front face of the cash drawer as by an adhesive coating29 on the plate.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated.

that when the cash register 1 is supported upon the base 2 and the plate23 is connected to tie cash drawer 7,,

forward or opening motion of the cash drawer will pull the actuatingpawl forward in the recess 91 the nose will in turn engage the triggerend 14 and swing the actuating lever 11 against the tension of spring 15until the hammer end 13 engages and displaces the lower end 21 of theanimating lever from its vertical position. In the fully open positionof the cash drawer the nose 26 will slip by the trigger end 14permitting the spring 15 to pull the hammer end 13 into the recess andthe pendant weight 18 on the animating lever will then cause the leverto oscillate for a considerable period of time.

The swinging animating lever 4 may actuate various forms and styles ofvisible display, devices. 3 is provided with notches 3% on each sidewhich form upwardly facing support surfaces adapted to be engageablewith and support the cross pins 31 that connect the outer panel 32 andinner panel 33 of a fixed display device. One or both of the panels 32and 33 project upwardly along the side of the upper end of the animatinglever 4 in overlapping relation to the movable visible display panel 5which may also be designated as an animating piece.

FIG. 5 show one possible form of display arrangement The upright aoaassationed behind the head with openings 35 so that the spots 6 representthe eyes of the owl. and 'move from side to side asthe animating lever 4moves.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further variation of the visible portion of thedisplay device in which the outer panel 328 is shaped and pictured torepresent the human figure of a grocer boy 36 having an upright arm 37pivoted at 33. The animating lever 4 projects upwardly behind the panel323 and is connected by the connecting rod 32 to the arm 37 so thatactuation of the animating lever causes the grocer boys arm to swing insalute to the observer.

The same basic base 2, upright 3 and the animating lever 4 can beadapted to support and actuate a wide variety of visible display panelsby simply lifting one set of panels from the supporting notches 3t} andsub stitutinganother and making any necessary connections to theanimating lever 4.

What is claimed as new is:

'l. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest on a counter andsupport a cash register thereon, an upright hingedly connected to therear edge of said base to project upwardly behind a cash register onsaid base, a

pivot bearing at the top of said upright, notches in the sides of saidupright forming upwardly facing support seats on each edge of theupright below said pivot hearing; a pendulum swingably supported in saidbearing and projecting thereabove and therebelow into a recess providedtherefor in said upright, the lower end of said pendulum being swingablealong the rear edge of said base, a fixed display element having frontand rear' panels removably supported in front and in back of said up.-ri'ght by' cross pins connecting the panels, and'engaged on said supportsea-ts and projecting upwardly alongside the pendulum above said pivotbearing, a movable display element on the swinging upper end of'saidpendulum coac'ting' visually with said fixed display element, a cutoutportion in the rear of said base forming a recess, an actuating memberhorizontally swingably mounted in said recess and having a hammer endengageable with the" lower end of said pendulum, a spring connectedbetween said base and said actuating member and biasing said hammer endforwardly out of the path of said' pendulum, a trigger end on saidactuating member; an

actuating pawl reciprocably mounted'insaid recess in said base andengageable with said trigger end on advancing motion of the pawl, saidbase having an opening eitending from said recess in said base to thefront of said base, a pull rod longitudinally adjustably connected tosaid actuating pawl and projecting forwardly through said opening, andan upwardlyte'xtending attaching element on the forward end of said rodadapted to be secured to the front of the cash drawer of a cash registermounted on said base, the edge of said recess in said base having a camsurface guiding said actuating pawl laterally behind said trigger end onretracting motion of the actuating pawl.

'2. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest a on a counterand support a cash register thereon, an upright connected to the rear ofsaid base to project upwardly behind a cash register on said base, apivot bearing at the top of said upright,- notches in the sides of said,upright forming upwardly facing support seats on each edge of theupright, a pendulum swingably supported in said bearing and projectingtthereabove and therebelow into a recess provided therefor in saidupright, the lower end of said pendulum being swingable along the rearedge of said base, a fixed display element having front and rear panelsremovably supported in front and in back of said upright and engaged onsaid support seats and projecting upwardly alongside the pendulum abovesaid pivot bearing, a movable display element on the swinging upper endof said pendulum coasting visually with said fixed display element, acut-out portion inth'e rear of said base forming a recess, an actuatingmember horizontally swing ably mounted in said'recess and having ahammer end engageable. with the lower end of said pendulum, a

opening extending from said recess in said base to the front of saidbase, a pull rod longitudinally adjustably connected to said actuatingpawl and projecting forwardly through said opening, and an upwardlyextending attaching element on the forward cnd'of said rod adapted to besecured to the front of the cash drawer of a cash register mounted onsaid base. 7

3. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest on a counter andsupport a cash register thereon, an upright hingedly connected to therear edgeof said base to project upwardly behind a cash register on saidbase, 'a pivot bearing at the top of said upright, upwardly facingsupport seats on the upright below said pivot bearing, a pendulumswingably supported in said bearing and projecting thereabove andtherebelow into a recess provided therefor in said'upright, the lowerend of said pendulum being swingable along the rear edge of said base, afixed display element having a panel removably supported on said uprightand engaged on said support seats and projecting upwardly alongside thependulum above said pivot bearing, a movable display element on theswinging upper end of said pendulum coacting visually with said fixeddisplay element, the rear of saidbas e having "a recess, an actuatingmember horizontally 'swingably mounted in said recess and having ahammer end engageab-le with the lower end of said'pendulum, a springconnected between said base and said actuating member and biasing saidhammer end forwardly out of the path of said pendulum, a trigger end onsaid actuating member, an actuating pawl reciprocably mounted in saidrecess in said base and engageable with said trigger end on advancingmotion of the pawl, said base having an opening extending from saidrecess in said base to the front of said base, a pull rod longitudinallyadjus'tably connected to said'ac-tuating pawl and projecting forwardlythrough said opening, and an upwardly extending attaching element on theforward end of said r'od adapted to be secured to the cash drawer of acash register mounted on said base, the edge of said recess in said basedefining a cam surface guiding said actuating pawl laterally behind saidtrigger end on retracting motion of the actuating pawl.

4. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest on a counter andsupport a cash register thereon, an upright hingedly connected to therear edge of said base to project upwardly behind a cash-registeron saidbase, a pivot hearing atthe top {of said upright, upwardly facingsupport seats on the upright, a pendulum swingably supported in saidbearing and projecting thereabove and therebelow int'oa recess providedtherefor in said upright, the lower end of said pendulum being swingablealong the rear edge of said base, a fixeddisplay element having a panelremovably supported on said upright, and engaged on said support seatsand projecting upwardly alongside the pendulum above said pivot bearing,a movable display element on the swinging upper end of said pendulumcoacting visually with said fixed display element, the rear of said basehaving a recess, an actuating member movably mounted in said recess insaid base and having a hammer end engagea'ble with the lower end of saidpenhaving an open ng extending from said recess in said base to thefront of said base, a pull rod connected to said actuating pawl andprojecting forwardly through said opening, and an upwardly extendingattaching element on the forward end of said rod adapted to be securedto the cash drawer of a cash register mounted on said base.

5. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest on a counter andsupport a cash register thereon, an upright connected to the rear ofsaid base to project upwardly behind a cash register on said base, apivot bearing in the upper portion of said upright, a pendulum swingablysupported in said bearing and projecting thereabove and therebelow, thelower end of said pendulum being swingable along the rear edge of saidbase, a fixed display element having a panel removably supported on saidupright and projecting upwardly alongside the pendulum above said pivotbearing, a movable display element on said fixed display element andconnected to the swinging upper end of said pendulum coacting visuallywith said fixed display element, a recess in said base, an actuatingmember movably mounted in said recess in said base and having a hammerend engageable with the lower end of said pendulum, spring meansconnected between said base and said actuating member and biasing saidhammer end out of the path of said pendulum, 'a trigger on saidactuating member, an actuating pawl reciprocably mounted in said recessin said base and engageable with said trigger on advancing motion of thepawl, said base having an opening extending from said recess in saidbase to the front of said base, a pull rod connected to said actuatingpawl and projecting forwardly through said opening, and an attachingelement on the forward end of said rod adapted to be secured to the cashdrawer of a cash register mounted on said base.

6. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest on a counter andsupport a cash register thereon, an upright connected to the rear ofsaid base to project upwardly behind a cash register on said base, apivot bearing in the upper portion of said upright, a pendulum swingablysupported in said bearing and projecting thereabove and therebelow, thelower end of said pendulum being swingable along the rear edge of saidbase, a fixed display element having a panel removably supported inoverlapping relation of said upright and projecting upwardly alongsidethe pendulum above said pivot bearing, a movable display elementconnected to the swinging upper end of said pendulum and coactingvisually with said fixed display element, the rear of said base having arecess, an actuating member movably mounted in said recess and having ahammer end engageable with the lower end of said pendulum, spring meansconnected between said base and said actuating member and biasing saidhammer end out of the path of said pendulum, a trigger on said actuatingmember, an actuating pawl reciprocably mounted in said recess andengageable with said trigger on motion of the pawl, said base having anopening extending from said recess to the front of said base, a pull rodlongitudinally adjustably connected to said actuating pawl andprojecting forwardly through said opening, and an attaching element onthe forward end of said rod adapted to be secured to the cash drawer ofa cash register mounted on said base.

7. A display device comprising a base adapted to rest on a counter andsupport a cash register thereon, an upright connected to the rear ofsaid base to project upwardly behind a cash register on said base, apivot heating in the upper portion of said upright, a pendulum swingablysupported in said bearing and projecting thereabove and therebelow, thelower end of said pendulum being swingable along the rear edge of saidbase, a fixed display element having a panel'supported in Overlappingrelation of said upright and projecting upwardly alongside the pendulum,a movable display element connected to the swinging end or said pendulumand coacting visually with said fixed display element, the rear of saidbase having a recess, an actuating member movably mounted in said recessand having a hammer end engageable with the lower end of said pendulum,spring means connected between said base and said actuating member andbiasing said hammer end out of the path of said pendulum, a trigger onsaid actuating member, an actuating pawl reciprocably mounted in saidrecess and engageable with said trigger on motion of the pawl, said basehaving an opening extending from said recess to the front of said base,a pull rod longitudinally adjustably connected to said actuating pawland projecting forwardly through said opening, and an attaching elementon the forward end of said rod adapted to be secured to the cash drawerof a cash register mounted on said base.

8. An animated display device for coaction with a cash registercomprising a base on which the register may rest, an upright on the rearof said base, an animating lever pivotally supported on said upright andextending to adjacent the rear edge of said base, a fixed display panelremovably mounted on said upright, a movable display part mounted forvisible animating coaction with said fixed panel and connected to saidlever and moved thereby, a pendant weight connected to said lever tosustain motion of the lever, an actuating member movably mounted on saidbase and engageable with said animating lever to drive said lever, meansbiasing said actuating member out of the path of movement of said lever,and a drive member supported by said base and connectable to the cashdrawer of a register supported on the base for movement by the drawer,said drive member having a one way driving engagement with saidactuating member to move the actuating member against the action of saidbiasing means.

9. An animated display device for coaction with a cash registercomprising a base on which the register may test, an upright on the rearof said base, an-animating lever pivotally supported on said upright andextending to adjacent the rear edge of said base, a fixed display panelmounted on said upright, a movable display part mounted for visibleanimating coaction with said fixed panel and connected to said lever andmoved thereby, an actuating member movably mounted on said base andengagea'ole with said animating lever to drive said lever, means biasingsaid actuating member out of the path of movement of said lever, and adrive member supported by said base and connectable to the cash drawerof a register supported on the base for movement by the drawer, saiddrive member having a one way driving engagement with said actuatingmember to move the actuating member against the action of said biasingmeans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS509,658 Gibbs Nov. 28, 1893 615,023 Holt Nov. 29, 1898 1,082,608Peterson Dec. 30, 1913 1,363,121 Jones Dec. 21, 1920 1,430,093 MathewsSept. 26, 1922 1,838,774 Long Dec. 29, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 907,249France June 18, 1945

